"One of the hallmarks of the show has been how cinematic it is. The show has proven that TV is every bit as impressive and in many cases more so, than film. What they're doing is monumental.

"When you see these battles in season 7, and what I imagine season 8 will be, it's a big, big show. We've done a lot of great shows, but this one combines the complex characters we love with a huge cinematic scope.

"I think this is the first show to prove that can be done — and we're the first people to pay for it."